As fans have become accustomed to, KSU’s freshman brigade led the way to their second CUSA victory
Freshman duo Adrian Wooley and Braeden Lue helped men’s basketball to a 75-69 overtime win over Sam Houston State at the Convocation Center on Thursday night.
With 12:38 to play, SHSU’s Cheikh Ndiaye converted a pair of free throws to extend the Bearkat’s advantage to the largest it would get to in the game at 48-38. What followed was a grueling 11-0 run in which Kennesaw State didn’t allow a point for over five minutes to retake the lead at 49-48.
In the final seven minutes of regulation the game saw five lead changes and three ties as each side traded scores.
Down 60-57 with 1:42 remaining, Lue drove to the basket and dunked through contact and drew a foul. After he made the free throw, the Owls tied the game a 60-60.
On the Owls’ next possession, Wooley made a driving layup to put KSU up 62-60 with under a minute remaining. SHSU’s Lamar Wilkerson tied the game with a floater 12 seconds later, and after a Simeon Cottle turnover, it appeared the Bearkats would get the last clear look.
Wilkerson was unable to hit his final attempt, and after a near-halfcourt heave from Cottle missed the rim, the game headed to overtime.
With Lue and Jamil Miller each playing with four fouls and Wooley suffering an apparent ankle injury, there wasn’t much reason for the KSU faithful to be optimistic heading into the extra period.
SHSU struck first in overtime with a fastbreak layup by Marcus Boykin, but the Owls responded when Cottle hit his first three of the night to regain the lead at 65-64 with 3:45 remaining.
The Owls didn’t trail again, but the Bearkat’s did tie the game at 69-69 thanks to a Wilkerson trio of free throws.
Lue converted a layup to retake the lead at 71-69, and Wilkerson’s ensuing three-point attempt fell off the mark.
Cottle made a pair of free throws on each of the next two Owls’ possessions, and KSU held on to win 75-69.
Lue was named player of the game, finishing with 17 points and 10 rebounds — his first career double-double.
“I’m just getting more comfortable as we keep playing games against good teams,” Lue said. “It’s going to keep getting better and better from here on out.”
Wooley continued his hot streak, finishing with a team-high 25 points and 9 rebounds — his fifth straight game with at least 20 points.
“Games like this, it’s a learning experience to see where we’re at,” Wooley said.
Miller, despite only converting one field goal, finished with a team-high +/- of 17.
“Amazing group of young men in that locker room that play for each other, that play for Kennesaw State,” Owls coach Antoine Pettway said. “I think you saw that on the line tonight — we got down 10 in the second half, we could’ve folded up the tent — our guys fought back.”
The Owls improve to 10-7 overall, and 2-2 in CUSA play. They will host Louisiana Tech on Saturday, hoping to build on momentum.
